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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

J. MOINTYRE 8v H. A. KESSEL.

GONVEYBR.

Patented June 18, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

J. MQINTYRE 8u SEI. A. KESSEL.

GONVEYBR.

No. 541,112. Patented June 18, 1895.

KYM'XRWM Q25. ('15 4% :ttzfy 1n: mams Parkas cnJHoTo-uwo, wAsNmarou o r UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MCINTYRE, OE JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, AND HENRY A. KESSEL,

OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 541,112, dated J une 18, 1895. Application tiled December 26, 1893. Serial No. 494,642. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN MCINTYRE, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, and HENRY A. KES- SEL, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oonveyers, ofwhich the following is a specification, `reference beingv had therein to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevational view-a front view, so to speak-showing a few of the elevating shelves or cushions. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view showing a modification. Fig. 4 is a front view of said modification.

The object of the improvement is the production of a conveyer specially useful for elevating bananas and other soft fruits from the hold to the deck of a ship.

In conveyers as heretofore constructed, the delicate banana or other soft fruit is seriously damaged on being hoisted from the ships hold by the hard, unyielding arms or brackets on which the fruit is laid. Furthermore,the said arms or brackets being incapable of conforming to the continually varying sizes and forms of the bunches of fruit in connection with the vibration of the belt, allow the fruit to oscillate and chate itself, thereby further reducing its value.

Vith the conveyer presently to be described, we are enabled to receive and lift or hoist the fruit from the ships hold to the upper deck with a minimum of injury to the fruit.

The letter ct denotes the deck of a vessel and b a portion of the hatch-way, upon which the upper one of the two belt-wheels c is mounted, the requisite rotary motion being imparted to the conveyer through the medium of the shaft d.

The letter e denotes an endless belt.. Shown in the drawings as a metallic chain. It runs over and upon the two belt-wheels c, c which are preferably sprocket wheels when the belt is composed of a chain. Y

The letter f denotes the elevator shelves which are attached to the endless belt at regular and proper intervals.

They are ot' flexible and yielding material, such as rubber or canvas, so as not to bruise the fruit which is placed upon them and for other purposes, wherefore they are called herein yieldable platforms. 'Ihese yieldable platforms are normally taut, that is to say, when no fruit is placed upon them, they are taut on the upward side of the conveyer as shown in Eig. l. They fold closely to the belt on the downward side, thus-allowing of compactness in the machine and safety and protection from projecting parts. These platforms automatically unfold themselves into the proper position to receive the fruit on turning around thelower pulley. This folding feature of our conveyer is of further great advantage, in that it permits the person taking the fruit off the platform to stand close to the belt 0n the downward side, thus avoiding the danger of being struck by the conveyer flights as ordinarily constructed. Again, our conveyer, being preferably a portable one, this folding feature permits of the belt being rolled up for transportation like any ordinary belt, thus avoiding the necessity of taking off the conveyer flights and dismembering the machine. These yieldable piatforms are attached to the belt through the medium of the rod g which projects laterally both ways, from the opposite edges of the belt. They are also attached to the rod h and from this latter rod the platform-support t' runs to the belt and is jointed thereto.

It results from the use of the yieldable platform and the platform-support jointed to the .belt that when the bunch of bananas is laid upon the yieldable-platform, the platform bends downward at its central part and the outer end of the platform-support moves inward, causing the platform to exert something of a grasping action upon the bunch of fruit.

The letterg denotes a fender or apron of canvas or the like extending from the yieldable-platform upward to the rod k which extends laterally in both directions from the opposite edges of the belt. This fenderj serves the purpose of preventing the fruit, lwhich is upon the yieldable-platform, from coming in contact with the endless belt, a result that is desirable, when that belt is a chain.

The letters Z denote stays behind the rods g IOO which prevent them from turning or twisting out of proper position as they move along their path. These endless stays pass over `the wheels m.

The lowermost of the two belt-Wheels c is loosenpon the shaft fn. That shaft is supported by the screw-threaded rods 0, the connection between the two being such that the screw-threaded rods are free to rotate. These screw-threaded rods mesh with female threads in the spurs p and pass up through the spurs p2 which are not threaded but act as guides. The spursp and p2 are parts or appurtenances of the sleeves p Whichare supported by and can have lateral motion upon the bar r. The upper ends of the rods 0 are squared and by means of a Wrench taking hold thereof, these screw-threaded rods can be rotated and the tension of the endless belt thereby regulated and adjusted.

The letters t denote bolts, with heads and nuts, passing through horizontal mortises in the barr and vertical mortises in the uprights u by means of which arrangement the bar a" can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally.

In the modification illustrated in Figs and 4, the endless belt is shown as made Of canvas and Without ther stays. The lower flight on the upward side of Fig. 3 illustrates the action ofthe yieldable platform fwhen a bunch of fruit is placed thereon.

What We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a conveyer, the combination of the belt e, a normally tant yieldable-platform of textile material and the platform-support t', all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a conveyer, the combination of the belt e, the fenderj, the yieldable-platform f, and the platformsupport t', all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a conveyer, the combination of the belt e, the fender j, a normally taut yieldableplatform of textile material and the platformsupport z', all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

'4. In a conveyer, the combination of the belt e, the rod g proj ectinglaterally from opposite sides of the belt, a normally taut yieldable-platform of textile material, and the platform-support t' jointed to the belt, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a conveyer, the combination of the belt e, the rod g projecting laterally, from op- Y vshaft n, the bar lr, and the adjusting screwso laterally movable upon the bar, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a conveyer, a conveyer flight consisting of a platform normallytaunsaid platform being capable of yielding to the pressure of 'the article to be conveyed, and having'its snpport journaled to the belt substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a conveyer, a conveyer iight consisting of a yieldable platform, capable of exerting a grasping action on the article to be conveyed, and having?, its support journaled to the belt, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a conveyer, a conveyer flight consisting of an automatically folding yieldable platform journaled to the belt, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

ll. -In a conveyer, a conveyer fiight consisting of an automatically folding and unfolding yieldable platform journaled to the belt, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN MCINTYRE. y HENRY A. KESSEL. Witnesses:

ALFRED W. KIDDLE, N. L. FROTHINGHAM. 

